Follow The Leader

Deep in NYPIRG’s by-the-numbers assessment of the 2011 legislative session are some interesting statistics that demonstrate just how leadership-driven Albany really is.

The average majority members in both houses voted with their respective leaders between 97.41 percent (Assembly Democrats) and 98.87 percent (Senate Republicans) of the time.

But Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is the only leader who can boast 100 percent loyalty from members of his conference – 10 to be exact, including the speaker himself.

Four of those are no longer in the Assembly: RoAnn Destito, who is now the OGS commissioner; former Assemblywoman Nettie Mayersohn, who retired; former Assemblywoman Audry Pheffer, who is now Queens County clerk; and former Assemblyman Darryl Towns, now Cuomo’s housing czar.

Even the members who voted most frequently against Silver were comparatively loyal. They include: Assemblyman Dennis Gabryszak (87.47 percent), Assembywoman Aileen Gunther (87.98 percent) and Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes (91.19 percent).

No GOP members voted with Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos 100 percent of the time, but four came darn close: Marty Golden (99.85) and Kemp Hannon, Deputy Majority Leader Tom Libous and John Flanagan – all coming in at 99.77 percent each.

Those who voted differently from Skelos most often were Sens. Bill Larkin (96.03 percent), John Bonacic (96.17 percent), and Ken LaValle (96.52 percent).

Assembly Republicans are arguably the Capitol’s most independent conference – relatively speaking. The 51 minority members only voted along with their leader, Brian Kolb, 90.94 percent of the time. The members who voted with him most frequently include a former minority leader, Jim Tedisco (95.85 percent).

The Senate Democrats’ most “renegade” members – those who vote least often with Minority Leader John Sampson – include Sens. Tom Duane (88.40 percent), Bill Perkins (89.29 percent), and Kevin Parker (90.35 percent).

Ironically, with the exception of Senators Smith, Kennedy, Breslin, Joe Addabbo, and Suzi Oppenheimer, every senator enrolled as a Democrat voted more consistently with the IDC head, Sen. Jeff Klein, Sampson.